Extension table with self-contained leaves



Jan. 18, 1955 F- G. RANNEY EXTENSION TABLE WITH SELF -CONTAINED LEAVES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1952 INVENTOR. Bfancis & Panng/ BY Jan.18, 1955 RANNEY 2,699,975

EXTENSION TABLE WITH SELF-CONTAINED LEAVES Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2|

INVENTOR.

Francis 6r ammy BY Unite States Pat nt EXTENSION TABLE WITHSELF-CONTAINED LEAVES Francis G. Ranney, Newton, Mass., assignor toCharak Furniture Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication September 26, 1952, Serial No. 311,723

Claims. (Cl. 311-48) The present invention relates to an improvement inextension tables having one or more filler leaves permanently secured tothe frame.

In this invention a table having a frame of rectangular or square shapeand supporting legs of ordinary design is provided with a longitudinallysliding table top. This top may be divided laterally into two sectionsso that the sections may be slid apart, exposing within the frame one ormore permanently attached filler leaves, parallel and adjacent to oneanother and extending transversely to the length of the frame. Each ofthese filler leaves are so pivotally hinged along their lengths as to beconcealed when the table is in its closed position. When the table is inits extended position the filler leaves are pivoted up to and remain ona level with the table top, forming an extended and contiguous topsurface.

In the conventional extension table it is quite customary to use fillerleaves which are entirely independent of the table. These are usuallystored in closets and the like and are put in place when needed. Theleaves so stored are frequently damaged by careless storing and moving.Further it is sometimes hard to match them in the table.

Frequently they warp and do not fit and they are always clumsy tohandle.

While leaves have been stored in tables, this usually only applies to asingle or narrow leaf and the table is not designed so that a pluralityof parallelly placed leaves may be readily moved from beneath the tabletop to fit into the top of the table.

It is an object of this invention to provide an extension table ofinexpensive design with a self-contained extension unit which may beoperated by an individual with a minimum of effort.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an extension tablehaving a permanently secured extension unit which occupies an area nogreater than an ordinary table of the same size.

These and other features of this invention will be further clarifiedwhen considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the table in its closed position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table in an extended position withthe center leaf not completely pivoted into position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the table with the top sliding membersshown dotted in an extended position, showing the filler leaves in theirstored position.

Referring to the figures the table has a top board 1 comprising two ormore sections indicated as sections 2 and 3 which may be "separated bysliding them laterally of the frame. This board may, however, be unitaryor divided laterally into more than one section. It is preferable,however, that this board be divided into two equal sections asindicated.

The embodiment of the invention as shown herein for simplicity isdescribed in connection with a top board divided into two sections, butthe same principles apply to tables with top boards having more than twosections.

The two sections 2 and 3 are slidably supported on the frame 4 havingends 5 and 6 and sides 7 and 8. Each of the two section are set into theframe between the two side walls 7 and 8 so that the upper edges 9 and10 respectively of the sidewalls are on a level with the upper surfaceof the top board. The top edge of the end walls 5 and 6 are no higherthan the lower surface of the top 2,699,975 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 boardthus permitting the top board sections 2 and 3 to move freely in thedirections as indicated by the arrows A and B. Both side edges 11 and 12of both the top sections are provided with projections or keys, notshown, which fit into the grooves 13 extending the length of the innersurface of either sidewall 7 and 8. These grooves act as channels forthe longitudinal movement of the top board. The channels are terminatedshort of the ends of the sidewalls either by the position of the legs30, 31, 32 and 33 or of the end walls 5 and 6. These top sections may ifdesired be provided with gear trains or pulleys and ropes or any othermeans for moving both of them apart uniformly, provided these means donot interfere with the operation of the filler leaf elements. v

In the accompanying drawing the embodiment of the invention includesthree filler leaf elements 14, 15 and 16, but more may be used ifdesired.

The filler leaves 14, 15 and 16 which are substantially the same lengthas the lateral dimension across the table of the top boards 2 and 3 arehinged respectively to cross beams 17, 18 and 19 by means of hinges 20.Each leaf is hinged to rotate from a position beneath their respectivecross beam 17, 18 or 19 as is illustrated in Figure 3 to a positionabove their respective cross beam whereby each leaf is in the same planewith, and parallel to, the top sections 2 and 3 when the table is in anextended position. I

The hinges 29 have their pivots extending in lateral alignment to eachleaf with the line of pivot adjacent the edge of the cross beams andwith one half of the hinge secured to the cross beam and the other halfof the hinge mounted on boards or plates 34 which are secured to thebottoms of the leaves referring to their position when level with thetable top. These plates 34 maintain the two halves of the hinges in thesame plane when in a closed position, permitting the filler leaves 14,15 and 16 to pivot from a position just beneath the cross beams 17,

18 and 19 to a position on a level with the table top since thethickness of the plates 34 are such as to bring the top of the fillerleaves in the same plane as the table top.

Cross beam 18 may have its ends set permanently in the side boards 7 and8 so that the center table leaf 15, when in an exposed position, liessymmetrically on the frame 4. In order to permit the leaves 14 and 16 tofit snugly against leaf 15 and also permit them to be rotated asdesired, the cross beams to which the leaves 14 and 16 are hinged arethemselves slideably mounted on the frame. Two pairs of parallel grooves21 and 22 on either side wall are provided to receive pairs of metalflanges 23 and 24 attached respectively to either of the ends of thecross beams 17 and 19 respectively. These grooves of limited lengthpermit a free lateral movement of the leaves 14 and 16 so that they maybe moved away from the leaf 15 to permit rotation, and may also be movedclose to leaf 15 when in an exposed position to close the table top.When the table is opened the top sections 2 and 3 which have beenseparated to permit the raising of .the leaves are closed against leaves14 and 16 to form a continuous surface. If desired fixed cross beams 25and 26 parallel and on a level with cross beams 17 and 19 may beprovided as additional support for the leaves 14 and 16 respectivelywhere they are in an open position.

By providing protruding rails in place of grooves 21 and 22 and byadjusting metal plates 23 and 24 to removably fit down into the railsthe leaves 14 and 16 may readily be removed for cleaning, repair or anyother desired purpose.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members andsupporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface,means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a directionparallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverseto the length of said frame, cross beams in a number equal to said tableleaves, means for horizontally and slidably mounting said crossbeams onsaid frame, means for hingedly supporting said table leaves on saidcrossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said frame wherebysaid leaves may be pivoted from a position below said permanent boardelements and said crossbeams to a position parallel and in the sameplane with said permanent board elements.

2. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members andsupporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface,means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a directionparallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverseto the length of said frame, horizontally positioned crossbeams in anumber equal to said table leaves, one of said crossbeams fixedlymounted on said frame, means for horizontally slidably mounting theother crossbeams on said frame, means for hingedly supporting said tableleaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of saidframe for pivoting said leaves from a position below said permanentboard elements to a position parallel and in the same plane with saidpermanent board elements.

3. An extension table comprising a frame having side wall members andsupporting leg elements permanent board elements forming a top surface,means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a directionparallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverseto the length of said frame, crossbeams in a number equal to said tableleaves, means for horizontally slidably mounting said crossbeams on saidframe, hinged means for each table leaf, plates mounted on each leaf inalignment with said hinged means and having a thickness equal to thedistance between the table leaf and the crossbeam when the said tableleaf is rotated to its exposed position in the same plane with saidpermanent board elements, said hinged means having their pivotsextending in lateral alignment to each leaf and with the line of pivotadjacent to the edge of the crossbeam and with one half of each saidhinged means secured to said crossbeam and the other half of said hingedmeans secured to said plate.

4. An extension table comprising a frame having side Wall members andsupporting leg elements, permanent board elements forming a top surface,means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a directionparallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverseto the length of said frame, cross beams in a number equal to said tableleaves, one of said crossbeams fixedly mounted on said frame, flangemeans attached to the ends of each of the other cross beams, channels oflimited length formed in either sidewall to receive said flanges wherebysaid crossbeams are slidably supported, means for hingedly supportingsaid table leaves on said crossbeams on an axis transverse to the lengthof said frame for pivoting said leaves from a position below saidpermanent board elements to a position parallel and in the sameplanewith said permanent board elements.

5. An extension table comprising a frame having sidewall members andsupporting leg elements, permanent board elements forming a top surface,means for slidingly supporting said board elements in a directionparallel to the length of said frame, table leaves extending transverseto the length of said frame, crossbeams in a number equal to said tableleaves, the middle crossbeam fixedly mounted in said frame means forslidably mounting the other crossbeams on said frame to and away fromsaid middle crossbeam means for hingedly supporting said table leaves onsaid crossbeams on an axis transverse to the length of said framewhereby said leaves may be pivoted from a position below said permanentboard elements to a position parallel and in the same plane with saidpermanent board elements.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS820,737 Rishel May 15, 1906 1,766,694 Siskin June 24, 1930 2,118,620Orsenigo May 24, 1938

